Burn away the burden
by psychocchi
Summary: Headcanon: The day after the funeral of Berthold Hawkeye Riza told Roy to come to her fathers office so she can show him the true key to the old Alchemists research. (a headcanon about the scene were Riza shows Roy her tattoo and later on him burning her back) SORRY I'm very new to writing so please excuse this awkward approach v.v


**Burn away the burden**

Roy Mustang was on the way to his masters residence.  
Or least what used to be his masters home. Three days ago he died in Roys arms.  
He remembers the day he first met Mr Hawkeye: a strict and intimidating man.  
Someone who is a great example that genius and madness are not all that different.  
He was a strict master.  
What he expected of his student was nothing less than perfection.  
For a young man like Roy not quiet the easiest task but he would be lying if he said that he wasn't grateful to him. After all thanks to this mans teachings, his training, he, Roy, will one day become a great man who can make a difference in this rotten world, he was sure of that.

On the day of the funeral he shed no tear.  
Actually no one did.  
You could say Mr Hawkeye wasn't exactly a very popular man. He was rude and just crazy enough for people to avoid him but still accept his presence in their town.  
Not a lot of people came to say goodbye to the old Alchemist. Mainly people Roy didn't recognize and his masters daughter, Riza.  
Even though Roy spend a few years in the Hawkeyes home he didn't get to speak to her often. She kept her distance, silently watching while taking care of her father.  
She loved her father but more in a respectful rather than a sweet kind of way. From what Roy could tell Mr Hawkeye was a horrible father. Maybe that was the reason her eyes stayed dry even on the day of the funeral.  
After the small number of other guests left she stayed behind together with Roy who also wanted to stay just a little longer.  
They had a small chat about what he was going to do now. Hesitantly he told her about his plans, feeling a little shy about it since it did sound pretty childish. But she didn't laugh, she smiled and assured him that it was a great plan.  
Just as he turned to leave he heard her say  
"Mr Mustang please wait", he turned around surprised by the serious look on her eyes.  
"My father wanted me to show you something... the true key to his alchemy and I think the time has come".  
He was confused but he nodded.  
"Please come to my fathers office tomorrow afternoon". She left not saying another word and Roy was left behind wondering.

Thats why he was once again on his way to his masters residence. He was wondering all night what this mysterious key could be. He learned a lot but he always felt like his master held something back and when he asked about it he would say something like  
"Roy you are still far too wet being the ears to ask about this".  
When he arrived at the slightly rundown house he knocked but the door was open. He stopped for a second. Should he really just go in like that?  
He wasn't the masters student anymore 'technically I probably shouldn't break into someones house...' he shook his head 'I can't waste my time on debating whether or not to open a door when my masters final lesson is waiting'.

He went up the stairs and knocked on the wooden door of Mr Hawkeyes office.  
"Come in" he heard Riza say.  
He entered.  
The afternoon sun drenched the room in warm light.  
Everything looked the same: tall book shelfs made of sturdy dark wood, books and papers spread all over the floor. A huge heavy looking desk covered in random documents and drawings in the middle of the room.  
It was as if his masters spirit never left this room like he was about to come into the room yelling at him for entering without asking. But the glistening ink the was spilled on his desk was dried up.  
He was not here.

Riza sat on an old chair made from the same solid wood. She wore a rather tight black skirt that went up to her knees and a perfectly white blouse revealing her collar bones just a bit, her eyes looking down on her hands that rested in her lab.  
'Beautiful' he caught himself thinking.

She stood up from her seat silently and looked at him with that strong look she had the day before. There was no sign of doubt in her big brown eyes.

As he expected Riza was not the kind of person to try and break the ice with small talk.  
"My father invented a form of alchemy" she began "It is dangerous and incredibly powerful. However through the years he lost his sanity to it. He knew that no one should ever be in possession of this kind of power. The power of flames."  
She breathed in slowly as if to prepare for what she was going to say.

"For the sake of keeping this power from ever being misused by anyone, there is only a single copy of the document, that holds the key to the most dangerous kind of alchemy"  
Roy was still utterly clueless.

Riza turned around and started to fumble on something.  
It took Roy a second to realize that it was her blouse. He couldn't help but blush a little. He had a similar fantasy to this once but Riza was definitely not the type of woman who would use an excuse like this to- he shook his head a little.  
'Clear your thoughts Roy' he warned himself.

Meanwhile Riza was unbuttoning her blouse slowly.  
She reached the last button and pulled the white fabric off her shoulders revealing a big tattoo of a oddly shaped transmutation array that covered her entire back.  
Roys eyes widened.  
Incomplete thoughts were rushing through his brain.  
'He made his daughter the key to dangerous alchemy?', 'What are all those symbols I don't recognize them'  
'I need to get closer' he thought.  
"Can I...?"  
"Yes don't worry" she answered without hesitation.  
He walked over to her very slowly trying not to scare her or make her uncomfortable even though he knew it was probably useless effort.

Roy now stood right behind her. Her heart was beating fast and he could smell her perfume. A mix of rose, sandle wood, jasmin and just the tiniest hint of citrus distracted him from the purpose of this meeting.  
Never has he been this close to her. He couldn't help but look at her naked back.  
Her shoulders were slim and her skin pale and soft. The curve of her waist looked so perfect making him want to put his arms around it... but he had to resist.  
He caught a quick glace further down. Her hips were round and her skirt tightened around her...- he forced himself to look up.  
He was not this kind of man and Riza was definitely not the kind of woman he would look at this way.

Carefully he lifted his hand and touched the symbols and writings with his fingers. He felt her shivering under his touch.  
'Im so sorry' he thought 'I can't believe he would do this to his own daughter. Giving her such a huge burden, forcing her in a situation like this...' a wave of anger clouded up his mind.  
Roy closed his eyes breathing out sharply.  
'Focus.'

Reading and decoding the array took forever. Riza didn't ask to sit down, she didn't move an inch for hours. She just stood there waiting for him to tell her that he was done.  
The sun was already beginning to set when Roy finally said "I... I think I got it. I'm done."  
"Ok." Riza said almost whispering.  
He felt stupid. He didn't know what to do. Should he just leave? Or wait for her to tell him to go? So he just stood there awkwardly for a few seconds.

Finally Riza turned around almost losing grip of the blouse she held in front of her chest.  
Roy blushed. She looked down, also blushing.  
When she looked up her eyes were as sharp as before.  
"Mr Mustang I want you to do something for me" she said suddenly.  
"What is it?" He asked obviously surprised.  
"No. I want you to promise that you will do it no matter what it is. You have to promise it." She answered.  
'I'm in dept to her...' he thought "Sure. Whatever you ask for".

She smiled slightly, obviously content with herself but her smile vanished quickly and she breathed in deeply  
"I want you to burn away the tattoo on my back." Her eyes piercing through his.  
He was shocked. He can't do that. He can't set fire to her soft beautiful skin just thinking about it was absolutely impossible.  
"No I can't-"  
"You promised. You have to do it"  
Her eyes told him that she was one hundred percent serious. 'This stubborn woman...'.

He still couldn't bring himself to keep the ridiculous promise he just made.  
She looked into his eyes and saw his inner struggle, the pain the thought of burning her caused him. Her eyes softened  
"Please take this burden off of me. You are the only person who can do it, the only one I can trust so ...please"  
Now he knew that he would do it. He couldn't resist her eyes. He hated himself for it because he wasn't strong enough to decline but more than that he knew that it was the right thing to do.  
"...ok" he finally said.  
She turned around both glad and scared. Even though she was looking forward to the day this burden was finally erased from her body she was also scared. She knew the pain would be incredible. But more importantly she wanted to be free of the shackles this tattoo has been for her all these years.

"Are you ready?" Roy asked, still unsure.  
"Yes." She answered.

A flame rose from his finger tips and he slowly started dragging it across her back.  
Rizas body tensed up.  
She didn't scream. She didn't even whimper one bit. But Roy could feel it. Her body was shaking. The pain was unbearable. Worse than anything she ever experienced or imagined.  
She bit her lip trying not to scream out loud. She could taste the blood in her mouth.  
"I'm sorry" Roy whispered "I'm so sorry".

Suddenly Riza sank to her knees.  
Roy didn't know what to do, he wanted to help her but he knew she would be in too much pain to even stand, he wanted to step closer but she lifted her hand indicating him to stop.  
"Is it gone?" She uttered hardly being able to speak.  
"Not entirely" he replied "But I don't think anyone will be able to read it anymore..."

He saw the corner of her mouth twitch. She was smiling in relief.

"Thank you Mr Mustang" she said with a weak voice "I think you can leave now".  
Roy was shocked  
"Leave? I can't leave you here like this your whole back is..." but she interrupted him  
"It's ok I can take care of that. Thank you for everything" her voice was weak but she was still stubborn.  
"I will not-" Roy wanted to say but she cut him off again  
"Roy" she said.  
He closed his mouth he had already opened to object. It was the first time she called him by his first name.  
"Thank you. You took this burden off my shoulders and I am finally free. Thank you. I am very grateful I just need to heal it's ok but you need to go your way now and give purpose to my fathers legacy."

He hated to admit that she was right.  
He didn't want to leave her behind but there was no way around her stubbornness and also... the truth of her words.  
He stood there just a little longer. His hand stroking her shoulder gently, seemingly by accident, but they both knew it wasn't.

He then turned around and left the room. He closed the door behind him. For a second he wanted to go back inside hold her and stay with her. He wanted to forget about all his plans and stick to her side.  
If he was ever going to come back to someone it would be her. This kind and gentle but also stubborn woman with her golden blond hair and deep eyes that see right through him. For a moment he wanted nothing more than this woman by his side.  
But he remembered why he was there in the first place. Why he was trained by his master, why Riza showed him the secret to flame alchemy:  
It's because he has a vision. A vision of the future.  
Riza entrusted her fathers secrets to him because she knew he would use it for good. Because she wanted him to make his vision come true.  
He took a deep breath and walked away. He knew he would never come back to this house.

Riza heard his foot steps on the stairs and the front door closing as he left.  
'Finally' she thought.  
She didn't want him to see her this weak. She didn't want to hold him back.

She couldn't get up for another few hours. Her back was burning.  
She gasped when she finally decided to move tears of pain running down her cheeks. She couldn't.  
On her knees she awkwardly crawled to the bathroom trying not to move her back.  
She filled the bath tub with cold water and slowly lowered her body into the cool liquid.  
At first it burned even more.  
'Oh my god I'm going to lose my mind' she thought  
But soon the cold was soothing and her heart wasn't beating quiet as fast anymore  
"Don't worry I'm not dying" she jokingly whispered to her racing pulse.

She knew she had done the right thing by sending Roy away.  
She has always been fascinated by this man. The way he was so determined about studying alchemy. The fact that even after her father yelled at him and send him away saying that he was a completely talentless good-for-nothing brat, he came back demanding another lesson.  
When he understood something his black eyes would narrow and he smiled to himself and when he made a mistake he would not rest until he got it right. His boyish features stood in stark contrast to his personality. He was the kind of man that has the aura of a leader.  
Yes, she thought, she was always charmed by this young man.

It took her hours to get out of the tub, dry herself off and make her way to the bedroom.  
At first she tried to put on her pyjamas but quickly decided that it was a bad idea when the fabric felt like a grindstone on her burnt skin, so she ended up crawling into her bed naked.  
She was tired and weak. But she wasn't defeated. On the contrary her mind has never been this clear before.  
As tiredness overwhelmed her she was absolutely sure of one thing:  
"I am going to make Roy Mustang the fuhrer even if it costs my life."


End file.
